Combination washing tool and swab



March 27, 1928.

A. BOYNTON COMBINATION WASHING TOOL AND SWAB Filed Feb. 5, 1924 A TTOR NE YS Patented Mar. V27, 1928.

UNITED STATES ALEXANDER BOYNTON, 0F SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

COMBINATION WASHING TOOL AND SWAB.

Application led February 5, 1924. Serial No. 690,792.

This invention relates to washing tools and swabs especially adapted for use in wells. V An important object of this invention is to provide novel means whereby to clean the flow surface of a well of all mud, drill euttings, and other matter which would be likely to retard the production of oil or water as the case may be.

A further object is to provide a washing tool which may be conveniently converted into a swab when desired and which on the withdrawal of the tool when functioning as a swab will lift Huid from the well and create a strong vacuum in the lower portion of the well so that any obstructions remaining after the washing operation will be dislodged.

A further object is to provide a combination washing tool and `swab which is of highly simplified construction, durable in use and cheap to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the invention. l

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the tool illustrated in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 14-14 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a perspective of one of the eX- pansive rubbers or Contact members embodied in the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating a modified form of burr cutter,

Figure 7 is a detail View in side elevation of the spring dart assembly.

Figures 1 to 5 illustrate an'important one of a number of modifications to which the invention is susceptible, an outstanding principle being the highly developed combination feature that renders the tool instantly convertible fromy a washing tool to a swab and vice versa, and consists of a tubular body 150 having its intermediate portions provided with outlet ports 151 for the discharge of liquid.

Figure 1 illustrates that a pair of yieldable rubbers or rings 152 are mounted on the tubular body at opposite ends of the series of openings or ports 151 and are adapted to have liquid tight contact'with a perforated liner to clean theperforations of the liner and the flow surfaces of the well of mud, drill cuttings and other matter which would be likely to retard production.

In this form of the invention the outer and inner rubber ring end retaining cups 154 and 155 respectively have their inner surfaces flared and recessed for the reception of the tapering end portions 156 of the rubbers. It will be seen that the end portions of the rubbers 156 are snugly received in the flared inner portions'of the cups 154-155, and are consequently held against expansion when the liquid Hows under pressure through the openings 157. During the washing operation the fluid is supplied under pressure through the tubular body 150 and that fluid which passes through the openings 157 ex-4 pands the intermediate portions of the rubbers 152 and consequently causing the same to have liquid tight contact with the adjacent portions of the liner. By reason of this arrangement the liquid supplied to the openings 151 is forced to pass through the perforations in the liner andthoroughly wash the flow surfaces of the well. especially directed to the fact that the ends of yieldable sealing members 152 are prevented from coming into contact with the liner as the ends of the same are fully roteeted, nor can exposed edges of sea ing members be forced into damaging contact with casing or liner because the rubber ring end retaining cups 154: and 155 prevent expansion at such points. Additional assurance may be had in this respect byimbedding the wires 75 in the corners of the rubbers.

By positioning the tapered ends 156 of the rubbers or sealing members 152 'in the cupped ends of the retainers 154 and 155, leaking is positively prevented whether the tool is used either for washing purposes or.v

as a swab. Y

The tool when positioned as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 is adapted for use in wash- Attention is from the beginning.

ing the perforations of the liner and the flow surfaces of the well; and when the parts vare positioned as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, the tool functions as aswab.

A sleeve 160 is mounted on the main body between the inner retainers 155 and is provided with openings 161 adapted to register with the openings 151 to permit ofthe dischargev of the iluid when functioning as a washing tool. To convert from swab to washing tool, one of the rubber retainers 155 may be slightly rotated so that it is free from locking engagement with the sleeve, and the sleeve is then turned to the desired position with openings 151 and 161 in registration. `When the sleeve has been thus positioned the retainer 155 is again returned to locking engagement with the sleeve so as to hold the sleeve against accidental turning. In practical operation, however, the sleeve 160 is rotated byA a pipe wrench without the necessity of freeing the locking engagement.

When the shoes 25 are applied to the body 5, or the sleeve 160 rotated so as to close holes 161, the tool maybe used as a plunger pump in an ordinary casing or working barrel. As a pump it has great advantages over the ordinary pump because the rubber rings are completely efficient until they wear out, whereas cups begin to lose their eiiiciency This washing tool may be lefectivelyused v to accurately locate holes, splits, or openings type and Y employed to normally in casing. By lowering the tool into the well with pump pressure applied the expansible rubber rings 152, Fig. 1, will seal off against the casing, and the pump will remain stalled until the washing tool reaches the hole or split in casing whereupon the pump will immediately begin to work,'thus establishing circulation through the hole or split, and thus locate exactly the hole or opening that may need repair.A

The lower portions be provided with upper and lower splral burrcutters 170- 171 oppositely directed so that the turning effect when a burr is encountered is neutralized. In other words when a burr' is engaged by the cutters 170 the-tendency of the coupling member 172 to turn is reduced to a minimum, thus preventing the joints of the tool or wash pipe from becoming unscrewed while being raised or lowered in the well.

In this, form of the'invention, the usual dart 175 is provided and a spring 180 may be hol the same in its unseated position when the tool is used as a swab. The'spring 180 is referably of the form shown in t e drawings (see I Figs. 1 and 7), and has its large lower end seated against a shoulder 181 an'd its small upper end engaged with the head 182 of a bolt 183 secured to the upper end of the dart lthe swab has been the swab immediately seats of the body 15.0 may -which may be mounted -expansible members 152 with o 17 5'. and upstanding therefrom. Whenever let too far down and under more fluid than the swabbing line can lift, the operator can back the swab down the well until the pressure on the lower side of the dart valve is approximatelyl e ual to the pressure on the upper side of the art valve. The spring swab may again be slowly'raised at a speed that will not seat the dart, thus allowing `the swab to unload through the dart 'seat until a point is reached where the load can be lifted; more speed is then applied to the quickened motion of the dart, the intera'of the dart valve overcoming lthe tension of the spring, whereupon the swab iswithdrawn with its proper load. This automatic unloading device is one of the novel and essential features of this invention. In converting this tool from a swab to a washing tool, it is not necessary to removeV the spring beneath the dart because when functioning as a washing tool, the same internally applied force that expands the rubber rings swabbing line and the 152, Fig. 1, compresses the spring and seats the dart. l

Water or slush may be removed from beneath the oill in the well b screwing on one or more joints of pipe a ove the swab, fastening bailing line to the top of same with ordinary open bailer top, removing dart bottom or bottom valve, the pipe open through the swab, or bailer as-now converted, and lowering same down below the oil and into the water -or slush and withdrawing same from the well. The water or slush thus becomes entrapped between the swab' and the open top and is brought out while theoil above the topescapes downward through the open pipe. In this manner mud or slush may be removed thus leaving then releases the dart, and the c from a well without removing and wasting i the oil which accumulates on top of the mud or slush during the period of bringing in the well. v

. Figure 6 illustrates ing of the tool the burrs may be removed and substituted by an annular cutter 176 on the upper endy of the coupling member 177, corresponding to the part 172.

`In operation, oil, case may be is introduced into the tubular body 150 whence it passes through the perforations 151-161 and through the perforated liner at the lower end of the casing (not shown) so as to thoroughly cleanthe bottom of the well as will be fully hereinafter pointed out;V .It will be seen that the tubular body 150 isprovided inwardly of the enings 157 by means of which the iluid un er pressure is permitted to force the rubber rings tightly that during the lowerc water, or steam as the I into engagement with the inner wall of the 13 body 150.

In use the tool is lowered into thefwell on a drill stem or Wash-pipe. When the washing tool has reached the perforated 4 liner, a circulating pump is started and the water or oil is forced out through the drill stem or wash pipe and into the tool. The force of the liquid is exerted upon the inner side of the rubber rings 152 so that the rubber rings are expanded and tightly engaged with the wall of the liner. The water, oil, or other washing fluid is discharged from the tool under high pressure through the perforations and through the liner and in this manner the wall is washed clean, for increasing the flow surface and clearing the same so that the tubing will not be fouled or the pumping mechanism will not be cut or damaged by inflow from the formation.

By circulating coarse sharp sand, emery, adamantine, or other hard, sharp cutting material, in the washing fluid, the walls of the-well may be lcut or reamed to almost any desired diameter, depending upon the pump pressure, mixture of cutting compound `and length of time applied. Herein lies one of the major advantages of the invention.

Whenthe washing tool is withdrawn from the well, the expensive force exerted upon the lower ring 152 causes the tool to act as a swab in a one string well. In other words, with the casing and liner of the same size the rings 152 will engage the casing so that as the tool is withdrawn the well is bailed out to the top of the perforated liner.

In hard or honey-comb formations, this washing tool will wash and clean the pores of the honey-comb thus removing all mud and drill cuttings to permit the oil or Water to come more freely into therwell.

In soft formations, it will, so to speak, ream the hole to many times its original diameter, thus washing out the mud and loose formations which would otherwise come back against the liner and eventually workthrough the perforations of the liner and foul and damage the pumping mechanism. Reaming or enlarglng the diameter of the well Vat the same time. exposes more producing area so that freer and larger flow, is allowed to come into the well.

With this washing tool in use the action .of the pump indicates the exact places of the liner which most need washing or cleaning. When the pump is forcing washing Huid effectively, as wells are now washed. IVhen such places in a-liner are reached, the pump \labors and yindicates where the oil or gas seeks to come in, but is choked off land held back by the mud or' other soft formations.

Special attention may be given to the clogged places in the well so that the well may be brought in properly or if anold well, made to resume profitable production.

As a result of the practical use of this invention in wells, old oil wellshave been made to resume profitable production by washing with this tool after the perforations inthe liner had been completely closed and production entirely shut off.

By washing with hot water, steam, crude oil, gasoline, coal-oil or other proper solvent, this washing tool will dislodge parafline, asphalt, tar'or. other sediment whichA obstructs or closes the perforations in the liners of old wells, and at the same time clean and ream the walls, removing mud originally left in the well, as well as to ream out soft formations that were not properly reamed, washed, or cleaned in the beginning.

By the use of this invention, wells which have ceased to flow or produce because of ,the liners becoming choked or clogged can again be made to resume production, providing of course the oil sands have not been completely drained.

This washing tool also functions as a swab when it is being withdrawn from the well. In one string wells having the same size casings as liner, this washing tool, while being withdrawn picks up all fluids above the perforations in the liner and lifts it out of the well7 thus acting as a combination washing tooland swab. Thus the Well is not only washed but is bailed clean to the top of the liner. During the With-drawal of the tool, a vacuum is created `beneath the tool, and this vacuum thus created aids the ion oil or water to break through any remaining obstructions and come into the Well.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is l. A tool for use in Wells comprising a tubular body-having water discharge openings., a sleeve receiving said body and having openings adapted to register with said first named openings, sealing members mounted on said body at opposite ends of said sleeve,

vretainers mounted on said body and engaging said sealing members, said retainers being adapted to engage the ends of said sleeve to hold the sleeve in a set position with the openings of the same either in or out ot registration .With lthe openings in the tubular body. v

2. A washing tool comprising a tubular body having fluid passages, expansible sealing members of annular formation mounted on said body and-having tapered end portions, retaining members mounted on said body and having their inner portions dared and formed with sockets `to snugly receive the tapered end portions Iof said sealing menobers, and a'sleeve mounted on said body and engaged by the retaining mem ers whereby the sleeve is held in a set position.

tool and swab having a plua sleeve fitted 3. .A combination washing comprising a cylindrical body rality of discharge openings, on thebody charge openings adapted to be brought into registration with the discharge openings of the body or to be rotated out ot registration therewith, an expansible sealing member encircling the body adiacenteach end of the sleeve, and a collar threaded upon the body at a point between each end of the sleeve and its associated expansible/ sealing member,

each collar being adaptedl for retaining the associated end ot its respective sealing member upon the body member, and said collar cooperating for holding the sleeve against turning upon said body memben ALEXANDER BYNTUN.

and having aplurality of dis- 

